Floor jointing or tightening device



F4 W. ARZT FLOOR JOINTIN OR TIGHTENING DEVICE April 10, 1928. 1,665,430

Filed Feb. 11, 1927 8 w vInventor J i B} g m Ail/177261 Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

FREDERICK WILLIAM ARZT, .OF HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA.

SELOOR JOINTING R TIGI-ITENIN'G DEVICE.

Application filed February 11, 1927. :Serial No. 167,482.

My present invention has to do with the jointing of floor members; and it has for its object the provision of a simple and efficient device, susceptible of ready application and manipulation, through the medium of which floor members may be expeditiously and effectively jointed in a. tight manner.

To the attainment of the foregoing, the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention as properly applied and ready for operation.

Figure 2 is an elevation angles to Figure 1.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both views of the drawings.

I show in the drawing a floor supporting beam 1, and I also show floor members 2 which are in the form of tongue and grooved boards.

My novel device is applied to or mounted on the beam 1 and is designed to be used after the manner of a lever for the purpose of enabling an operator to exert great pressure against a floor member 2 with a view to engaging the same in tight manner with an adjoining floor member.

Among other elements, my novel device comprises a body 3 of inverted U-shape, the said body 3 being designed to be placed in straddling relation on the beam 1, and be ing provided on the inner side of its upright portions with project-ions or teats 4 for gripping the sides of the beam and preventing casual movement of the body 8 incident to operation of the device. The projections or tea-ts are provided on both of the upright portions of the body 3 so that the device is susceptible of use in a right or left hand corner, or on either side of the beam or so that the device may be used to advantage by a. left handed workman or a right handed workman.

In addition to the body 3 characterized as described, the device comprises a lever fulcrumed on and connected with the body and arranged to be opposed to the adjacent edge of a floor member 2 after the manner best shown in Figure 2. The lever designated by 5 is equipped with plates 6, and in order to enable the plates 6 to avoid the body taken at right 3 when the lever is oscillated alongside of said body 3, the lower portion of the lever is provided with the offset part 7 best shown in Figure 1, or else a spacing member 8 is interposed between the end of the lever connected to the body 8 through the medium of the 'pintle 9 and :the adjacent upright portion of the body 3. Irrespective of which other provision is *made to enable the plates-6 'to avoid the body 3, it will :be observed that the plates :6 :are so located relative to the body that there is no liability of the plates 6 cont-acting with the body incident to oscillation of the lever 5.

The plates 6 are employed in order to avoid damage to the tongue or the grooved edge of a flooring member as the case may be, the plate presenting broad surfaces to the edge of the flooring member 2. Two plates are employed so as to render the device susceptible of use in a left or right hand corner or at either side of the beam, and so that the device may be arranged for use to advantage by a left-handed workman or a right-handed workman.

The plates 6 are connected together and to the lever 5 through the medium of bolts 10, disclosed at opposite sides of the lever and equipped with nuts 11.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my novel device is adapted to be expeditiously and easily applied, and that when the device is manipulated in the manner indicated it will enable an operator to exert great pressure against a floor member, as 2, so as to force the tongue of said member into the complementary groove of an adjoining member and so as to render the joint between the members very tight, and this with but little effort on the part of the operative. It will also be'apparent that the device will be susceptible of being readily shifted along the beam as the laying of flooring progresses.

It will be noted that in the preferred illustrated embodiment of my invention the projections or teats are in the form of teeth struck from opposite edges of opposite upright portions of the body.

Notwithstanding the practical advantages ascribed to my novel device, it will be noted that the same is simple and inexpensive in construction and in general is well adapted to withstand the usage to which it may be subjected in practice;

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relativearra'ngement of the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear and exact understanding ol the said embodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood as restricting myself? to the precise structure shown and described, my invention being I claim is 1. A floor jointing;- device comprising a body of inverted U-shape equipped on its upright portions with means to take hold of a beam, a lever pivotally connected adjacent to its lower end to one upright portion of the body and having its" upper portion spaced from the adjacent side of the body, and plates disposed atopposite sides of'the lever and connected thereto and extended laterally from the lever.

2. A floor jointing device comprising a body of inverted U-shape equipped on its upright portions with means to takehold of a beam a lever pivotally connected adjacent to its lower end to one upright portion of the body and having its upper portion spaced from the adjacent side of the body, and plates disposed at opposite sides of the "lever and connectedthereto and extended laterally from the lever; the said plates being extended laterally beyond both sides of the lever, and the plates being secured on the lever through the medium of bolts disposed'at opposite sides of the lever and extended-through the plates and equipped with heads and nuts.

In testimony-whereof I afiix my signature.

FREDERICK W. ARZT. 

